UConn's Husky Mascot Gets A New, Fiercer Look

A more fierce, more angular, almost wolf-like Jonathan Husky dog with piercing eyes will replace the fluffier, friendly-looking pup that has been the university mascot since 2002.

It's all part of UConn's new institutional branding and marketing program that includes a new, blockier UConn logo, as well as the mascot makeover released Thursday.

Stephanie Reitz, spokeswoman for the university, said the new husky is intended to be a "more competitive dog."

In a press release issue Thursday, head women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma said: "This logo is everything that a husky is supposed to be – powerful, aggressive, determined," he says. "It is looking right through you and saying 'Do not mess with me.' This is a streamlined, fighting dog, and I cannot wait for it to be on our uniforms and court."

Kevin Ollie, men's basketball coach, was quoted in the release: "I absolutely love this new husky dog logo. It looks fantastic on our uniforms and I know that our fans will love it as much as we do. Our new identity is a look that I know I will be proud to wear."

Both the new husky dog and the new blocky UConn logo were designed for free by Nike at the request of the university's athletics division. The university's student-athletes wear Nike brand uniforms and footwear. UConn has been working with Nike to evaluate all parts of its brand, including word marks, logos and uniforms, for 14 months.

The Jonathan Husky image was first adopted in 1934 and has changed five times since then. The most recent update occurred in 2002.

The new husky image will be introduced on team uniforms in the fall, but the new logo will begin to appear on athletics facilities this month.

When UConn President Susan Herbst released the new UConn logo last week, she said the new husky dog would be released on April 18. Reitz said that apparently, the new logo was showing up in various places, so the school released it earlier than expected.

Herbst said last week that the new husky would be "rendered as the sleek, beautiful animal a real husky truly is." She also said that "contrary to speculation, he will not appear to be mean, snarling or capable of frightening small children."